Fear of communism began in the 1947’s, when communists took over in China. America started to discriminate against people who seemed to be communist. America’s fear grew in 1949, when the Soviets exploded the atomic bomb.
When Joseph McCarthy, republican senator from Wisconsin, saw how America was scared of communism, he took advantage of it. He had been ineffective in the Senate and he realized he needed to get an edge to be reelected in 1952. He used America’s fear of communism as the driving factor in his campaign. McCarthy would accuse people of following communist ways without evidence. This accusation became known as McCarthyism. He did so in the Senate because there, he had legal immunity that protected him from being sued. He accused 205 people of being communist in the State Department and accused the Democratic Party “20 years of treason” for allowing communists into the government. His drive for his campaign worked for a while but eventually, it also led to his downfall. In 1954, McCarthy accused the US army of following communist means. This accusation was televised nationally. He went too far as to bully the witnesses and he was condemned from the Senate of bringing dishonor. Joseph McCarthy would 3 years later, die of alcoholism.
It's short and to the point but I don't understand the "when Soviets exploded the atomic bomb". From what I remember, the only country that has ever used the atomic bomb is the US.
ReplyDeleteWhat they are referring to (although it's poorly worded) is US military intelligence that the Soviets were testing an atomic bomb. While America is the only country to have ever used an atomic bomb against an enemy, several countries including the Soviets possess nuclear weapons and have tested these bombs by "exploding" them in their own countries.
ReplyDelete